Hasta La Ideas

Masters of turning the mundane cute, we recently came across this collection of the clever ways Japanese designers have extended this eccentricity down to the boring barcode.

Without impeding on the necessary numbers, inventive versions transform humble skus from the usual black-and-white rectangle to graphics that range from cityscapes to waves, often relating to the product it identifies.

The online gallery from Tokyo’s Design Barcode studio demonstrates the creative ways the barcode can go from basic to engaging with a few simple additions, revolutionizing the iconic information tag.

via Information Aesthetics via Fast Company

See more creative barcodes after the jump.